Chapter One

The wild ride from the mages’ estate pushed the wind through Fale’s hair and her heart pumped so forcefully, she brought her hand to her chest to make sure it wouldn’t escape her body.  Leaving the battle, their horses plunged down the side of the mountain at breakneck speed for ten minutes, but the adrenaline coursing through her system made it seem like an hour. Barely hanging on, the girl warrior held tightly to the reins and gripped the powerful horse’s sides with her thighs.  Finally, her guard and recently her past-love, Keron, slowed his animal to a walk.

“Everybody okay?” Keron turned in his saddle to see the other horses following his lead.

“I think we’re fine now,” Fale called, twisting around to watch Lisle and Izzy pulling up beside her. Lisle looked unsettled by the horse, but he had fought bravely as their wizard-in-training. Izzy’s eyes were bright as she answered her best friend.

“Yeah,” Izzy let out the lungful of air that had been trapped since the battle.

“What’s the plan now?” Lisle pushed his horse forward to hear Keron better.

“Now, we ride down the mountain,” he said.

Their journey to Everligne just beginning, they would need to find the machine said to open dimensions. Fale’s people waited anxiously for her return to save them from the dimension they were trapped in. The Source Wizard Gasten wanted the machine as much as they did, but he wasn’t about to set her people free. He wanted to open new dimensions to enslave the people and steal their magic.

“Oh.” Lisle let his shoulders drop. “Do you think the they’re following us?”

“Don’t think so. Lucien said the mages would hold them off, and I don’t know for how long, but I don’t see anyone.” Keron checked the mountain behind them for any sign of the evil wizards. Gasten’s henchmen would take Fale if they had the chance, and they weren’t averse to hurting her if it got them the location of the machine.

“Better get moving though, just in case,” Keron said.

“Won’t the horses get tired if we keep going?” Fale mused.

“When we find the river, we’ll give them a break.” Keron stroked the neck of his stallion.

The other three nodded in response. They were reeling from the morning’s attack. Keron took the lead, and Fale followed in front of Izzy, then Lisle. The sun rose higher and its rays were warming Fale in the crisp spring mountain air. It wasn’t long before she let her mind drift as she swayed with the cadence of her ride.

Fale felt responsible for the fight at the mages’ estate. She had wondered, in the back of her mind, if the wizards would come while they were there. Her thoughts were heavy as she remembered her dream from last night. It was the same dream she’d had for days now. The one on the battlefield.

The implications of Fale’s complicated origins haunted and overwhelmed her. She had lived many lives as Princess Effailya. She could have lived a hundred lives, but she didn’t want to be anyone but herself. Just Fale. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Tapping her heels to her white mount, aptly named Snowdrop, she docilely followed Keron’s horse, Courageous. Izzy and Lisle spoke softly at the rear. Keron proved to be a natural in the saddle and he was the only one after several hours at a walking pace who didn’t complain of aching in his legs and back.

“My legs are falling off at the hip,” Fale said about eleven o’clock.

“This saddle kills my butt,” Izzy rubbed her offended flesh.

“I think my back is broken,” Lisle added, mimicking her.

“You guys are pathetic,” Keron shook his head.

“How do you know where you’re going?” Fale clicked her tongue and urged her horse up next to Keron’s when they came upon a level bit of ground. Traveling single file was so boring. The wounds left by his breakup remained fresh. However, after the trauma of the mage fight, her need to be with him was instinctual. Keron’s job as the Wardsman was to protect her and that assurance gravitated her towards his protective presence.

“I have a compass,” Keron explained, showing her. “I keep pointing us northwest and we should come right down the side of the mountain closest to the coast.”

“Did you know how to use that before we came here?” she asked.

“No, the mages showed me how this morning,” he said. “There’re a lot of tools we need that I didn’t know about.”

“You make a good Wardsman,” she chuckled nervously. “Being a guard and wilderness guide comes naturally to you.”

“Is that a compliment?” Keron’s brows rose.

“Don’t get a big head. Or I’ll go ride with Lisle and Izzy.” He laughed at her teasing. “When are we stopping for lunch?” she asked.

“In about an hour,” he said, looking back. “Think you can make it?”

“Yes, but my poor horse probably needs water more than I do.”

“I’ll look for a place to stop. We aren’t too far from the river. About five minutes or so,” Keron explained.

“I’ll tell the others.” Fale held back to let Lisle and Izzy know the plan.

“Oh, thank the stars,” Izzy said. “I need to get off this animal.”

“I’m with Izzy,” Lisle sighed, swaying side to side against the motion of the horse.

“Try moving with the horse, not against him,” Fale laughed. “You’re going to get saddle blisters.”

“I think I already have them,” Lisle winced, “and I don’t want you to heal them, either.” He added the last part before she could offer.

Izzy laughed loudly. “I would love to soak in a hot bath,” she said. “Why can’t your gift be to produce hot water? Maybe you’ll get that one soon, if I’m lucky.”

“I have a feeling I’m done receiving gifts,” Fale said.

“Why?” Lisle cocked his head in wonder.

Fale looked at Keron’s back. “No reason, just a feeling.”

She could never tell Lisle how intimate the process of making magic was. She was aware Keron knew she needed him to protect her through the process; and he knew that he was keeping her from growing in her powers by not bonding with her and the Ondah. They both knew she still needed him, but he’d placed a barrier between them. For what? To clear her head—or maybe his? Whatever the reason had been, now it just seemed like torture.

After half an hour, Keron decided to give the horses a thorough rest and turned their party toward the river. They soon stopped and got down from their mounts. Izzy’s legs barely held her, and Lisle gave her a hand. He turned to help Fale.

“I’ve got it.” She jumped down by herself.

The northern face of the mountain was green and alive with butterflies in fields of grass. Fale had never seen anything so lovely in the midday sunshine. They were in a sparsely wooded area near the river and enormous rocks jutted from the water and the surrounding riverbed. Keron searched for some relatively flat stones upon which to perch. He brought the horses to water then took their leads and tethered them nearby so they could graze and rest in the dappled sunlight.

Fale and Izzy unpacked a picnic lunch the mages had prepared for them that morning with sandwiches, fresh fruit, leftover carrot salad, and cookies. “The mages have been so generous,” Fale said when they were all seated.

“Yeah, you’d think they were your people or something.” Izzy said.

“They are her people, Iz.” Lisle munched on his sandwich, “Mmm. This is good.”

“How so?” Keron asked.

“To the ones who know the truth, the people are still divided. They are either loyal to the source wizard or to the queen. Fale is the rightful heir to the throne and she is queen of the mages. Remember, she is a mage.”

“I keep forgetting,” Izzy said.

“How do you forget this?” Fale shot a two-foot-tall purple flame out of her palm.

“Watch it with that.” Izzy put her hands up to shield her face, laughing. “Well, at least we don’t need a fire starter.”

After eating, they refilled their canteens, adding a couple drops of iodine tincture. They were tending the horses when Fale heard a faint drumming noise. “Does anybody hear that?”

The others got quiet. Keron’s brow was wrinkled in concentration. “I think I hear something,” he said.

“It sounds like…” Izzy could hear it now too. It seemed like it was getting louder.

“I hear horses coming,” Fale said. “Everybody hide!”

They pulled their mounts into the shade, hoping whoever it was would pass them. At least they could ambush the followers if they weren’t friendly. But who else would be following them? The hooves thundered down the hill. Fale caught a glimpse of the riders through the trees.

“I see four of them,” she whispered.

Fale felt her brow perspire as the intruder’s horses slowed to a trot. She held tight to her horse’s bridle and unsheathed her sword quietly. Keron did the same, but his scabbard made an unmistakable ringing sound. The followers’ horses stopped, and they turned toward the river.

“Get ready, guys,” Fale whispered. “Are they wizards?”

“I can’t tell,” Izzy answered.

Four horsemen entered the trees and the leader signaled with his hand for the others to follow him. Fale wondered what their purpose was. Capture? Death? Maybe to follow them to the machine. She heard Lisle gasp as the men came into view in the clearing where they had been having lunch.

The lead man, dressed in black, sighed as he looked around.  “Lisle. Come out. I know you’re here.”

Lisle crashed from the bushes holding his glowing amulet, anger twisting his features.

“You betrayed me,” he yelled, pointing the amulet toward the man.

The man shook his head and held up his hands. “You don’t understand, Lisle. When the Source Wizard tells you to do something, you never say no.”

“You were my mentor. I trusted you with my secrets and you told them, you must have.”

The man moved forward and Fale stepped out of the trees with her sword pointed toward him. “Stay where you are.”

Keron and Izzy joined them.

“Hold on. I’m not here to hurt you.  I came to warn you.  They will send trackers, spies, mercenaries. You are too easily tracked. I’m not against you, Lisle. Not all wizards hate the mages, but we are bound by our allegiance to the Source Wizard. I have chosen my side, but I wanted to help you.”

“By following me?” Lisle’s hands were in fists, his eyebrows pulled together.

The man exhaled in frustration. “No. I told you, I am here to warn you.”

“How do we move without being tracked?” Keron lowered his sword.

“First of all, you cannot take the paths down the mountain, they are too well known.  You need to go north down the mountain. They won’t expect it. The river splits above the mages’ place. Find the other river and take your horses through the water as long as you can, to throw off your scent.”

“Are they bringing attack dogs or something?” Izzy’s worried voice shook.

“No,” the man said, “but there are spells to enhance the olfactory sense for tracking.”

“What if they follow you?” Lisle asked.

“We’ll tell them this is where we lost your scent.”

“Thank you,” Lisle said quietly to his mentor.

The man tipped his head. “Just be careful. You need to go now. It won’t be too long before we gather a search party.”

Keron put his sword away and gathered his leads.

“Good luck, Lisle,” the man said softly, pulling his horse’s head around.

Lisle waved as they left the clearing. “I can’t wish you the same.”

“Let’s go,” Keron commanded, pulling himself into the saddle and grasping his horse’s reigns. Courageous nickered at him. “Easy, fella.” He reached up to firmly pat the horse’s neck.

Izzy got one foot in her stirrup and couldn’t get any further, so Fale gave her a push up and over.

“Thanks,” Izzy breathed.

“Just pay me back sometime.” Fale panted, watching Izzy frown.

Putting her own left foot in her stirrup, she swung her right leg over Snowdrop’s back. Fale’s horse made the same welcoming sound Keron’s had, so Fale patted her neck.

“Thank you for carrying me,” she whispered, and Snowdrop nodded her large head, whinnying, her mane fluttering out behind her.

Fale was already in love with her mare. “I wish we could keep them,” she said to Keron, stroking Snowdrop’s coat.

“Where would we keep a horse in Alloy City?  And how free would they be, Fale?” Keron asked.

“I know,” she said. “It was only a dream.”

Keron felt bad. Again. It was like he couldn’t even talk to her now. This had to stop. As soon as they were alone, they would talk. He had to come to an understanding with her; she would put her faith in him, and he would guard her, and things would go back to the way they were. If they were lovers, so what? He could still do his job. Keron smiled to himself and coaxed Courageous forward.

They splashed into the water, the horses’ hooves clacking against the rocky shore. They rode in silence for at least an hour. The river was still slow and shallow this high up the mountain.

“Do you think we’re safe yet?” Fale rode next to Keron.

“Don’t think we’re going to be safe until we get on that ship.” He glanced over at Fale to see the wind pick up strands of her perfectly white hair and lift them like clouds against the blue sky. “Don’t you think?”

“I do,” she agreed, smiling tentatively at him. Keron looked into her olive-gold eyes, slightly squinted from the sun, and thought about telling her right now that he regretted his decision, but he would want to kiss her when he told her.

“Hey up there,” Izzy shouted from twenty feet behind them. “Watch where you’re going.”

“The horse doesn’t need me to help him walk the river, Iz.” Keron yelled back to her.

“Well, you’re definitely spoiling my view,” Lisle said not loud enough for Keron to fully hear. “Izzy, would you go switch places with Fale?”

“You want her all to yourself, eh?” Izzy taunted.

“Something like that. I need to talk to her. Please, Iz.”

“Oh, all right. I like her myself, but sometimes I wonder why you two can’t get over her.” She kicked her horse into a trot.

Fale waited for Lisle to catch up with her.

“You wanted to talk to me?” Fale asked.

“I wanted to see how you’re doing with the whole ‘break up’ and how he’s treating you. I want you to know you have someone to talk to,” Lisle said.

“Thank you.” Fale kept pace with him silently for a minute. “I’m not as strong as I want to be. I think he may realize his mistake, but for his sake, I need to keep things the way they are. He was right; he does his job well. Better than I thought he could, and he doesn’t need me as a distraction.

“And as far as I’m concerned, I can’t trust him anymore. Not with my heart. I’ll trust him with my life, but he’s broken my heart twice and I don’t have enough pieces left to break. After losing my parents, Nelson, my home, my identity, I feel like I’m barely hanging on and I want to cling to something. It just can’t be Keron, and I want it to be, so badly. I know if I’m alone with him, I’ll surrender. Don’t let me be alone with him. Can you help me?”

“Invariably, Fale.”

“That means every time, right?” she asked.

“Yes, it means always,” he said looking in her eyes.

She cleared her throat. “Lisle, you know, I never answered you.” He looked at her and sighed. “I don’t really want you to, Fale. Just be my best friend with Izzy and we’ll sort out the rest.” She opened her mouth to argue, her brow wrinkled, and he continued. “I know you love me, okay? Just not like Keron. More like a brother.” He looked crest-fallen, but Fale’s forehead smoothed out and she smiled at him kindly.

“Yes, Lisle, I do. And if we weren’t riding, I’d kiss your cheek to show you.”

“Damn. Raincheck?”

“No rainchecks.”

“Double damn,” he replied.

“You’ve been spending too much time with Izzy.” Fale laughed at his use of Izzy’s current catchphrase.

“I know,” he lamented. “You keep leaving me with her.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll try to be a better friend to you both, but that means you’ll have to spend some time with Keron.”

“Or alone.”

“Oh, come on. You’d rather be alone than be with Keron?” she asked.

“Sometimes? Yes. The fool is not easy to swallow.”

“Not when you call each other names. I wish you wouldn’t do that,” she said. “I know you do it behind my back all the time.”

“How did you know?” Lisle asked.

“Because you just admitted to it.” She laughed.

Her laugh was like a favorite song to Lisle, he could hear it over and over. He joined her and earned himself a suspicious stare from Keron. So, he returned his attention to Fale.

“You caught me,” he smiled.

“You’re both handsome, intelligent men,” she said. “You’re no threat to each other. At least not in my eyes. I love you both.”

 

The sun began its descent, sending their shadows sprawling behind them. The water was too cold for the horses to stay in for long, so they alternated walking in the river and on the bank. Keron turned the band of friends towards the north side of the water into the trees to make camp. When they had dismounted and tied the horses, Keron said, “Hey Lisle, can you pitch the tents while I chop some wood for a fire?”

“Sure,” Lisle sounded less than enthused.

“What do I do?” Fale asked.

“Can you get the water? There’s a cooking pot on my saddle and refill the canteens.”

“Izzy, you come help me figure out these tents,” Lisle said.

“How many are there?” Izzy asked.

Keron retrieved the axe from his saddle and handed the cooking pot to Fale, “There’s one on my saddle and one on Lisle’s.”

“Looks like I’m stuck with you, Lisle.” Izzy said.

“Actually, I was thinking of bunking with Lisle tonight.” Fale said lightly.

“What?” Izzy asked.

“What did you say?” Keron echoed.

Fale looked helplessly at Lisle.

“Fale and I were going to…talk,” Lisle said, trying to think of a convincing reason not to leave her alone with Keron as per her request.

“That’s it,” Izzy said, throwing down the tent pegs in her hand and stomping. “Somebody had better tell me what is going on, right now, and don’t you dare say ‘nothing’ Fale Valine!”

“Oh boy, I’m going to chop wood.” Keron picked up his axe and sauntered to the nearest fallen tree, checking the wood for dryness.

Fale sighed. “We broke up, Izzy.”

“What? When? I thought you were getting married.” Izzy looked like she might cry. “I mean, you’re technically married already, but I thought…”

“It happened the night before we left the house.”

“But you guys have been fine…” Izzy began then cringed. “You haven’t been fine at all, have you?” She looked at Fale who was shaking her head sadly. Izzy moved to hug her then stopped.

“Wait. Lisle knew, didn’t he? Did you tell him, Fale?” Izzy’s temper flared.

“Yes,” Fale said quietly.

“Why am I always the last to know, huh, Fale?” Izzy shouted as Keron thwacked the log. “You know, if you cared so much for me, you’d think of me now and then.”

“Iz.” Fale tried to hug her.

“No. Not this time. I need time to chill out. I need to think.” She pushed Fale away and walked off. “Sorry, Lisle.”

Keron’s axe continued to rise and fall, chopping off a huge dead limb. Fale watched him work, his stainless-valezsan arm taking the brunt of the work, doing a better job than an ordinary man. Valezsan alloy was the strongest metal on the planet, giving him super-human strength in his right arm and leg. His shirt was off. Fale could see every muscle in his shoulders and back ripple as he lifted and swung. His mechanical parts blended almost seamlessly with his form. He was stunning, man and machine, and he used to be hers.

“Fale,” Lisle said. “Don’t do that to yourself.”

She turned to him in the orange-pink light of the setting sun, her eyes glistening, and he caught his breath.

“I’ll go get the water,” she said despondently. “Thanks, Lisle. For everything.”

 

He watched her go and called to Keron, “Hey, roughneck, why don’t you go talk to the poor girl. She’s feeling alone.”

Keron looked up, surprised. “What happened? What did you do this time, egghead?”

“I didn’t do anything, Izzy pushed her away.”

“Why didn’t you go after her?” Keron tossed his axe into the tree.

“I don’t have enough light left to figure out these tents if I do,” Lisle said. “Plus, I’m not who she wants to see.”

“Where did she go?” Keron asked, wiping his face with his t-shirt and putting it back on. Lisle pointed east and Keron set out walking. He went to the rocky river bank and didn’t see Fale anywhere. “Fale?  Where are you?”

Hearing nothing but the whisper-roar of rushing water, Keron continued upstream until he saw a flat rock bathed softly in sun. Her hair was pink, reflecting the red sunset, and she spilled more tears than the water she filled. She believed she was truly alone, and it was partially his fault. He was about to go to her when movement in the shadows caught his attention. A great animal was advancing cautiously toward Fale. On all fours it stood as tall as Keron, and it was covered with patches of black and silver fur. It was an emaciated bear-like creature. They were said to eat people on this mountain because of the food shortage. Keron walked to the tree line and inched his way to Fale.

When she was only a few feet away, Keron stepped onto the bank and said, “Fale, turn around very slowly.”

 

Surprised by Keron, Fale jumped and shrieked.

“Keron, what are you doing?” Her eyes widened and he watched her gaze travel above his head. He turned around to see the hungry creature on two legs bellow at them. Fale moved toward Keron and clutched the back of his shirt. “What do we do?”

“I don’t know; they can run fast, so don’t run. What about your fire?”

Fale made a shaky flame. The animal’s ears, which were cocked forward, lay down flat. It huffed at them. Keron stood in front of her with his valezsan arm out.

“Fale, shoot your fire in his direction; see if he runs.”

She obeyed. The bear circled to their right on all fours, grunting his displeasure. The animal ran full-tilt at Keron and swiped at him with its paw. Claws gouged his left shoulder, but he bore his weight on his valezsan leg and barely remained upright, though he took several steps. His shoulder felt wet and he noticed the long marks through his torn shirt.

“Keron,” Fale said. He looked up at the bear, swinging its head from side to side, clacking its teeth, and put his hands up again. This time it hit Keron on his right side and he flew like a rag doll. Fale watched in terror as the bear went straight for Keron’s limp body, lying face down.

It bit his valezsan leg and Fale heard a ‘clink’ noise which seemed to frustrate the bear. Thank the stars, valezsan was as strong as nano-tech steel and it didn’t budge. The creature bit him again with no luck, but when Keron moved, Fale was horrified to see its jaws aim for his neck. Fale shot her fire at the bear and it turned to the top of Keron’s head and sank its teeth into his scalp. Fale screamed and ran at the bear. She turned herself invisible and screamed as high and loud as she could in the bear’s ear.

The bear began to drag Keron, so Fale shot her flame across its muzzle. It dropped Keron and ran back into the forest. Fale flopped onto the ground and pulled his head into her lap. She held up one hand with fire to see in the fading light and ran her other palm over his injuries.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone so far.” She cried tears of regret.

“No, you shouldn’t have.” He smiled weakly.

She smiled back at him. “Did you break anything?  I fixed what I can see.”

“Man, if you keep healing me, I’m not gonna have any good scars to show my grandchildren.”

“You never told me you wanted grandchildren,” she said, sniffing and swiping at her eyes.

“Well, babies come first,” he said, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “Fale—”

“I think I know what you’re going to say,” she stroked his face.

“Yeah?” He pulled her mouth towards his.

“Yeah,” she whispered.

“Hey!” Lisle came running up to Fale and she dropped Keron’s head back into her lap. “What happened? I heard your scream all the way back at camp.”

“Great timing, nerd,” Keron grumbled.

“Why are you covered in blood?” Lisle looked up and down Keron’s body, searching for the injury.

“We met a monster-like bear.” Fale gestured to the trees.

“No way. What happened?”

“Walk us back and I’ll tell you,” Fale said. She gathered the water containers and made Lisle put an arm around Keron’s shoulders.

“Do it and I’ll punch you,” Keron warned.

“She told me to, stupid. It’s not like I want to,” Lisle countered.

“I’m fine, but thanks, needle-brain.”

As they returned to camp in the dwindling light, Fale relayed what she called “the creature story” and Lisle told her something he considered “the tent experience.” Izzy had gathered food and was sorting out supper in the dark.

“It’s about time you guys came back,” she sneered, “For two people broken up, you sure spend a lot of time alone together.”

“Keron was attacked by a bear, Izzy,” Lisle scolded.

“Oh, my stars, are you okay? Are you hurt?” Izzy jumped up. “Fale, make your fire thingy.”

Fale produced a flame in her palm and watched Izzy fawn over Keron. Of course, he ate up the attention. Izzy sat him down and searched him for injuries Fale might have missed. Fale was steamed. She opened her mouth and Lisle whispered into her ear, “You’ll only make it worse. Let’s make a campfire and cook supper.”

“Okay,” Fale’s shoulders drooped.

They carried over the logs Keron had cut. There were eight, so they gathered leaves and twigs for kindling, dug a small pit, then stacked the wood like a cone, placing a ring of stones and dirt around the periphery. The fire would burn through the night. Finally, Fale lit the twigs and tinder with her flame, keeping a steady jealous green flame going until the fire was crackling and popping.

“We may have to cut another few logs,” Lisle said to Fale. In the distance, they heard Izzy laugh at Keron.

“I think I can do it,” Fale fumed.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Lisle said.

“I have muscle. Speaking of which…” She poked him in the chest. “Where did these muscles come from, Lisle, huh? Have you been chopping wood?” He turned pink. “Lookin’ good.” She winked at him and strolled to the fallen tree.

Fale found the limb where Keron had left off and swung with all her might. The axe bit deep and she had to put her foot on the log to yank it out, wiggling back and forth. She slid her hand up to the axe head and swung again, pulling back as it made contact at a forty-five-degree angle then pulled up on the handle to do it over again. And again. Fale was concentrating so hard on what she was doing, she jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Dinner’s ready.”

“Thanks, Lisle. I guess I’m done anyway. We won’t use more than twelve logs tonight, and we don’t have room to take them with us,” she said.

“Probably not.”

“Are they eating?” she asked softly, hearing Izzy talking and laughing.

“Yep.”

“I’m going clean up instead. I’m all sweaty and sore from riding all day, using my powers and chopping wood.”

“Fale, you need to eat too,” Lisle said.

“Oh, I will, I’m starving. I just want to clean up first.” She motioned to herself.

“Fine, but if I hear screaming, I’m coming after you.” His smile in the dark was illuminating.

“Thanks, Lisle.”

“I’ll wait for you,” he said. “To eat, I mean.”

“I know.” She smiled.

Fale found her duffel bag by the unsaddled horses, who were nickering to one another, and dug through it to find a pair of loose pants and a stretchy top to sleep in. She found soap and a washcloth, partly by firelight and partly by moonlight. She was far enough away not to have to see Keron enjoying Izzy’s witty repartee, but close enough to hear his chuckle and imagine his dimple.

“Enough,” she whispered to herself as she walked to the river. “I am stronger than this. Takanori don’t wallow, we master.”

The water was icy on her skin. Fale could barely stand to wash her hands, let alone her face and body, but as she wiped off each part of her with the washcloth, she started to feel normal again. She decided to leave her hair for tomorrow and even dipped her swollen feet in the rushing water, knowing she could warm them by the fire. Fale dressed in her clean clothes and listened to the silence of the night; Izzy and Keron must be done eating.

When she got back to the camp, Lisle sat at the fire, gazing into its depths, yellow flames reflected in his eyes.

“You look tired, Lisle,” she said quietly.

“Keron said we leave at dawn again,” he yawned. “They’ve gone to bed.” He pointed a thumb over his shoulder at the tent behind him.

Fale had said she wanted to stay with Lisle, but she had expected a fight. One that hadn’t come. Maybe she’d been wrong in assuming she knew what he was going to say earlier.

Were they sleeping separately in there?

She mentally shook herself. “What’s for dinner?”

They ate a meat dish Fale was not familiar with in curry spices, and the few fresh vegetables the mages had sent with them.

Lisle said, “Let’s clean up quick and get to bed. Tomorrow night I say we trick them into letting us cook and eat first then we’ll go to bed and they’ll have to stay up late doing dishes.”

Fale laughed, “Is that what happened, they tricked us?” she whispered.

“Absolutely. It was a ploy to get more sleep,” he said.

She smothered a laugh. “You’re outlandish.”

“Me? You’re considering much more nefarious deeds taking place in there, my friend,” he wiggled his eyebrows at her as he dunked dishes in the pot of soapy water and wiped them off.

 

Keron lay inside his sleeping bag, his left arm behind his head and his cheek on his bicep. He ached everywhere from the long day of travel. He had no idea riding a horse used so many muscle groups. He didn’t know how Izzy was standing. Maybe that explained some of her behavior tonight. He couldn’t show weakness though, not as the protector. Some guard he’d been tonight, though. Fale had saved him…and he’d almost kissed her.

She’d slapped him last time and told him the next kiss better mean forever. He hadn’t forgotten. But freaking Lisle interrupted them. That guy had uncanny timing. Keron could hear her outside laughing and whispering to him. What could possibly be that funny?  Soon they went to bed. Keron waited until he heard their tent zipper and heard them quietly talking in the night.

He couldn’t understand what was being said, but the tone of Fale’s voice was loving and full of mischief. He heard her yawn and laugh at something Lisle said. Keron could imagine them in the same sleeping bags, opened up and zipped to each other. He wanted to tear the tents down and claim his wife, his girl, his love. Tomorrow. He’d tell her how he felt tomorrow.